••  /    y^p 


ftf/s 


[EXTRACTED  FROM  THE  EVANOEl(tC#i  WITNESS.] 

JAN  7    1937 


REVIEW. 


FIRST. 

HINTS  ON  THE  CHURCH'S  PSALMODY 

BEING 

AN  ATTEMPT  TO  REPEL  THE  VIOLENCE  OF  SUCH  AS 

WOULD    ROB    HER    OF    A    PRECIOUS    RIGHT, 

PP.  70,    l£MO.      GEORGE   PHILLIPS, 

PRINTER,  CARLISLE,  1821. 

SECOND. 

STRICTURES  ON  A  BOOK, 

ENTITLED, 

M  AN  APOLOGY  FOR  THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS, 
BY  GILBERT  M'MASTER." 

TO  WHICH  WILL  BE  ADDED, 

REMARKS  ON  A  BOOK, 

ENTITLED, 

THE  DESIGN  AND  USE  OF  THE  BOOK  OF 
PSALMS.  BY  ALEXANDER  GORDON." 
BY  HENRY  RUFFNER,  M.  A. 

8VO.  PP.  56.      LEXINGTON,  VA.  PRINTED  BY 
VALENTINE  M.  MASON, 


NO.  X. 

1.  Hints  on  the  Church's  Psalmody.  Being  au 
attempt  to  repel  the  violence  of  such  as  would  rob 
her  of  a  precious  right  pp.  70.  12mo.  George  Phil- 
lips, printer,  Carlisle,  1821. 

2.  Strictures  on  a  Book,  entitled,  "  An  Apology 
for  the  Book  of  Psalms.  By  Gilbert  MTtfaster*" 
To  which  will  be  added,  Remarks  on  a  Book  enti- 
tled, The  design  and  use  of  the  Book  of  Psalms. 
By  Alexander  Gordon.  By  Henry  R;  finer,  M.  A. 
8vo.  pp.56.  Lexington,  Va.  Printed  by  Valentine 
M.  Mason. 

During  forty  years  past  the  controversy  respecting 
Psalmody  has  been  agitated  in  our  tcountry,  with 
that  degree  of  spirit,  on  each  side,  which  indicates 
sufficiently  the  interest  felt  in  the  subject  at  issue,  by 
the  respective  parties.  That  an  Imitation  of  the 
Book  of  Psalms  and  other  hymns  of  modern  date, 
composed  by  men  of  different  shades  of  character, 
should  be  fitter  for  the  Psalmody  of  the  Christian 
temple,  than  those  songs  indited  by  the  Spirit  of  in- 
spiration, was  a  suggestion  novel  to  many  serious  and 
intelligent  Christians  ;  and  the  substitution  of  the 
one  for  the  other,  was  not  likely  to  meet  with  uni- 
versal consent.  When  this  substitution  was  urged 
by  superior  influence  or  authority,  the  recusants 
would  of  course  assign  their  reasons,  these  reasons 
called  forth  replies,  and  thus  the  subject  became 
matter  of  public  controversy. 

At  the  close  of  the  last  and  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Laita  and  binder  son 
occupied  the  field.  The  last  edition  of  Dr.  Ander- 
son's very  full  and  temperate  discussion,  appeared  in 
A.D.  1800.  In  A.  D.  1S01,  the  fourth,  and  it  is  believ- 
ed,the  last  edition  of  Dr.  Latta's  discourse,  by  far  the 
ablest  work  on  that  side  of  the  question  that  has  ap- 
peared was  issued  from  the  press.  The  advocate  of  uh- 


(     2     ) 

inspired  hymns  was  then  allowed  the  last  word.      &# 
far  as  public  discussion  was  concerned,  the  matter 
rested  till  A.  D.  1816.     Early  in  that  year  a  publi- 
cation, by  Mr.  Baird,  a  minister  of  the    Presbyterian 
church,  eame  out  in  defence  of  the  "spontaneous  ef- 
fusions" of  modern  poets  and  poetasters,  and,  in  no 
very  measured  terms,  against  the  use  of  the  Book  of 
psalms,  in  the  church's   psalmody.     An    ecclesiasti- 
cal decision  of  that  year,  by  the  General  Synod  of 
the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  opening  the  door 
for  the  admission  of  Watts'  psalms  into  their  congre- 
gations; gave  some  currency  to  the  pamphlet  of  Mr. 
Baird,    and  called  from  the   shelves   the  abler  dis- 
course of  Dr.  Latta.     Thus  the  war  was  once  more 
renewed.      Those  who  still  preferred   the  songs    of 
inspiration,  and  refused  to  substitute  in  their  place  the 
compositions  of  Dr.  Watts,  were    pointed  to  with  a 
•sneer,  as  illiberal  bigots.  The  question  was  often  put  to 
them,  why  they  did  not  prefer  the  modern   hymn,  to 
the  antiquated  song  of  scripture  in  a  literal  version  ? 
These  events  and    inquiries  gave  occasion  to  the 
publication  of  a  small  volume,  entitled  'An  Apology 
for  the  Book    of  Psalms.'     The  author  of  this,  we 
are  warranted  to  say,    during  the  first  eight  or  nine 
years  of  his  ministry,  introduced*  the  controversy  re- 
specting psalmody,   neither  into  his   public    discus- 
sions, nor  into  the  private  circles  where  he  associa- 
ted.    Nor  is  it  probable   that   he  would   ever  have 
appeared  on  that  subject,  had  it  not  by  various  means 
been  forced  upon  his  attention.     We  give  this  state- 
ment of  facts,  in  order  to  the  correction    of  misrep- 
resentations which  have  found  their  way  abroad.     It 
is  not  true  that  Reformed  Presbyterians  and  Seceders 
have  been  the  instigators  of  this  controversy.   From 
first  to  last,  it  is  believed,  the  assault  has  been  made 
from  the  other  side.     And  we  wTish  it  to  be   under- 
stood, that  when  such  assaults  are  made,  wre  have  no 
disposition  either  to  concede  the  point,  or  to  occupy 
neutral  ground*    We  can  come  to  no  termsr  we  can. 


(     3     ) 

make  no  truce,  with  those  who  speak,  and  continue 
to  speak,  as  Dr.  Watts  and  his  successors  have  done, 
respecting  this  very  precious  portion  of  the  Book  of 
God.  We  hope  indeed,  in  acting  that  part  which 
may  be  allotted  to  us  in  this  cause,  never  to  forget 
what  is  due  to  candour  and  sobriety.  The  employ- 
ment of  bad  passions,  we  know,  can  never  be  bene- 
ficial ;  and  in  a  cause  requiring  nothing  but  sound 
argument,  good  temper  and  suavity  of  manner,  why 
so  much  angry  fretfulness  should  be  put  in  requisi- 
tion, as  appears  in  these  little  books,  whose  titles  are 
placed  at  the  head  of  this  article,  we  shall  not  ven- 
ture even  to  conjecture.  We  have  no  temptation  to 
trouble  ourselves,  either  in  recording  the  testimoni- 
als of  their  peevish  bitterness,  or  of  imitating  their 
example.  The  following  syllabus  of  the  works,  will 
put  our  readers  in  possession  of  the  ground  occupied 
by  their  authors.  It  may  just  be  noticed,  that  both 
the  publications  are  directed  against  the  *  Apology 
for  the  Book  of  Psalms,'  already  alluded  to.  The 
writer  at  Carlisle  assails  it  no  very  courteous  man- 
ner, and  Mr.  Ruffner  furnishes  the  following  reasons- 
for  his  appearance  before  the  public  :  "  Last  year  a 
second  edition  of  Mi  M'Master's  work  on  Psalmody 
was  published,  and  considerably  circulated  in  this 
country.  It  soon  made  a  good  dealof  noise — seem- 
ed to  be  al^nating  the  minds  of  some  of  our  sece- 
ding brethren  from  us,  and  to  disincline  them  to  any 
measures  tending  to  an  ultimate  union  with  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  It  also  disturbed  the  consciences  of 
some  with  regard  to  their  present  practice  of  singing 
Watts' Psalms  and  Hymns."  Allthrwas  effected, 
according  to  Mr.  R.  by  misrepresentation,  &c.  and 
bow  he  appears  with  the  avowed  aim  of  "  lessening 
the  influence  of  a  book  sO  inimical"  to  truth  and  con- 
cord. The  Carlisle  author  proposes  to  cast  his  "has- 
ty (passionate  ?)  production — like  oil  upon  the  waves 
to  smooth  their  roughness."  Such  are  the  proposed 
ends  of  these  writers. 


v 


(     4     ) 

The  Hints  from  Carlisle,  as  they  are  tbe  eldei 
■production,  have,  by  courtesy,  the  first  claims  to  at- 
tention. After  making  a  statement  of  the  subject  in 
question,  not  indeed  that  contended  for  by  the  friends 
of  a  Scripture  Psalmoay,  but  such  as  the  writer  tho't 
he  could  more  easily  manage,  he  proceeds  in  his  ar- 
gument. "  We  shall,"  says  he,  "venture  to  express 
a  few  things  by  way  of  prejudice  against  it." — That 
is  against  the  use  of  the  Book  of  Psalms  in  the  psal- 
mody of  the  church.  Thus  he  ventures  to  say, — 
M  There  are  'things  of  such  a  local  nature  in  the  Book 
of  Psalms,  as  to  shew  that  they  were  designed  chief- 
ly if  not  exclusively,  for  the  Jewish  Church."  "  There 
are  some  things  which  accord  only  with  that  spirit  of 
extermination,  that  work  ol  havoc  and  destruction, 
which  God  required  that  church  to  cherish"  And 
he  assures  us  that  u  men  may  talk  as  they  please,  but 
the  fact  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  spirit  o{  the  Jew- 
ish and  of  the  Christian  Church,  are  very  different." 
"  That  our  Lord  teaches  this  ;  that  the  spirit  of  the 
church  of  old,  and  many  of  the  psalms  do  not  accord 
with  a  gospel  spirit ;"  that "  it  is  certain  the  use  of  these 
psalms,  in  the  Christian  Church,  has  a  tendency  to 
foster  malevolent  feelings;"  that  those  who  use  the 
songs  of  inspiration,  are  remarkable  for  angry  pas- 
sions, and  the  use  of  those  songs  is,  very  probably, 
the  cause  of  such  passions  !  That  the  singing  of  the 
Bible  psalms,  cannot  be  called  praise  ;*  that  those 
psalms  were  adapted  to  a  state  of  the  Church,  when 
such  a  political  righteousness  was  required,  as  that 
in  Ezekiel,  17th  chapter,  (the  errata  has  it  chapter 
18th, J  demanding  abstinence  from  idolatry  and  adult- 
ery, ver.  Gth,  which  requisitions,  he  assures  us,  are 
neither  made  now,  nor  can  a  compliance  with  them, 
be  possibly  obtained  !!  !f  That  the  government  of  the 
Israelitish  Church,  was  a  political  government. |  That 
whatever  is  discriptive  of  the  condition  of  the  ancient 


* 


Page*  11,  J&,15.    f  Page  14,     i  Page  14. 


(  5  ') 

* 

Church,  is  inapplicable  to  our  psalmody;  so  is  all 
that  is  peculiarly  referrible  to  our  blessed  Redeemer, 
as  psalm  22.  ||  He  likewise  tells  us,  that  the  New 
Testament  produced  such  a  thoroughly  radical  up- 
rooting change,  that  the  spirit  of  the  church  is  whol- 
ly transformed.  Page  18,  19.  These  considerations, 
together  with  the  exterminating  and  unevangelical 
character  of  so  many  psalms,  are  good  reasons  for 
their  rejection  by  people  of  tender  consciences.  Page 
21.  That  unless  the  authority  of  God  be  adduced, 
"totidem  verbis"  in  just  so  many  words,  ordering  it, 
we  are  under  no  obligation  to  use  any  of  the  inspir- 
ed psalms.  Page  25.  He  likewise  proposes  to  prove, 
that  under  all  dispensations,  Levitical  and  Jlpostolic- 
al,  the  Church  used  in  her  psalmody,  with  divine  ap- 
probation, uninspired  hymns.  Page  28.  He  like- 
wise certifies  us,  that  so  far  as  the  matter  is  concern- 
ed,, there  is  "  little  difference"  between  the  singing 
of  the  scripture  psalms  and  "  the  idolatrous  repeti- 
tions of  '  Io  Bacche,  Io  Bacchic,'  writh  which  that 
heathenish  divinity  was  praised  !"  Page  49.  That 
there  are  errors  in  the  old  version  of  the  psalms  ;  that 
in  translation,  the  inspiration  of  scripture  is  lost,  ex- 
cept the  translation  be  inspired,  and  that  hymns 
made  by  Socinians,  or  even  the  devil,  might  be  sung 
in  the  worship  of  God,  if  they  contain  nothing  erro- 
neous, are  among  the  items  of  valuable  information 
given  us  by  this  christian  divine.  Pages  57,  5S,  62. 
To  these  items  he  adds,  that  as  the  inspired  psalms 
were  adapted  to  "  superinduce  a  spirit  of  bondage" 
they  are  unfit  to  be  channels  of  the  graces  that  be- 
long to  adoption  ;  hence  the  churches  that  use  them 
languish,  while  those  Who  use  others,  we  suppose 
such  as  Watt's  and  Wesley's,  are  pre-eminent  in 
grace.  See  pages  15,  69. 

The  above  is  a  very  fair  expose  of  the  heads  of  this 
writer's  sentiments,   as  given  in   his  "  hasty  produc- 
tion."    We  shall  now  gratify  our  readers  with  a  spe- 
ll Pages  14,  15,  16. 


(    o    > 

cimen  of  his  liberality  and.  Christianity  of  temper.— 
We  pass  over  the  gentlemanly  manner  in  which  he 
speaks  of  the  author  of  the  '  Apology  for  the  psalms/ 
in  particular,  and  refer  to  his  general  style.  The 
friends  of  the  scripture  psalms,  he  represents  as  u  big- 
oted, censorious,  ignorant  zealots,  ostentatious  Phar- 
isees"— bully-ragging  the  meek  and  lowly  christians. 
Page  22.  Their  churches  are  unblest.  Page  23. 
They  "  are  men  of  narrow  and  conceited  minds" — 
u  fly  from  the  preaching  of  the  word — despise  the 
ministers  of  Christ — turn  their  backs  upon  divine  or- 
dinances,* disturb  the  church's  peace,  and  throw 
the  whole  weight  of  their  example  over  into  the  scale 
of  Christ's  enemies."  See  page  26.  "  Stupid  advo- 
cates for  David's  psalms."  Page  49.  "Ignorant  big- 
ots." Page  51.  He  likewise  represents  them  as 
drunken  and  lewd  characters,  page  38  ;  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  worst  passions,  enemies  to  prayer,  and 
destitute  of  love  to  souls.  Page  68.  The  Episcopal 
Church,  too,  where  the  book  of  Psalms  has  a  promi- 
nent place  in  psalmody,  he  represents  as  "  barren, 
rotten,  heretical."  page  65. 

We  have  thus  been  liberal  in  quotation  and  refer- 
ence, to  the  end  that  this  Carlisle  gentleman  may 
appear  fairly  before  our  readers.  His  spirit,  style 
and  manner,  we  know,  are  not  such  as  they  have 
been  accustomed  to ;  but  we  wish  their  improve- 
3  .ent,  and  this  writer  ranks  himself  with  "such  chris- 
tian  men  and  ministers  as  keep  pace  with  the  en- 
lightened spirit  of  the  age  !"  Page  .4.  He  likewise 
reminds  us,  that  he  is  a  meek  and  lowly  minded  chris- 
tian, who  is  actively  engaged  to  glorify  God,  and 
promote  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  fellow  men.  Page 
22.     It  will  be  recollected,  too,  that  the  above  is  that 

*  The  Church  is  surely  criminal,  whose  ministry  is  permit- 
ted to  teach,  to  write,  and  to  publish,  that  the  righteousness 
which  prohibits  idolatry,  adultery,  injustice,  and  cruelty,  "  is  not 
now  required 5  nor  can  it  be  acquired.!"  To  commit  abomina- 
ble deeds  is  bad,  but  to  teach  that  they  may  be  committed,  as  a 
gospel  privilege,  is  worse.  This  is,  indeed,  to  turn  the  grace  of 
Gpdinto  ltdviovjness."    i  Hints,'  page  14,  See  Errata, 


(  1  1 

*  oil  which  is  cast  upon  the  waves  to  smooth  their 
roughness.'  However  some  of  our  readers  may  con- 
jecture, as  to  the  possibility  of  the  apothecary's  mis- 
take in  the  kind  of  oil,  we  are  persuaded  that  our 
author  and  they  will  coincide,  in  the  assurance  of  his 
perfect  freedom  from  the  spirit  of  the  scripture 
psalms ;  and  if  that  by  which  he  is  actuated,  be  a  fair 
specimen  of  the  "  spontaneous  feelings"  generated  by 
the  spirit  of  modern  hymns,  there  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  appreciating  its  character. 

The  Carlisle  man  has  occupied  so  much  of  our  at- 
tention, that  we  fear  some  encroachments  have  been 
made  upon  the  space  allotted  to  our  Virginia  brother. 
He  will,  however,  we  hope,  find  a  compensation  in 
having  fallen  into  such  company,  and  esteem  himself 
happy  in  finding  such  a  coadjutor  in  his  Pennsylva- 
nia friend.  Whilst  thus  associated,  therefore,  in  the 
good  work  of  setting  aside  the  Book  of  inspired 
psalms,  from  having  any  place  in  the  psalmody  of  the 
church,  above  Horace,  Watts ,  Wesley,  or  any  of  the 
measuring  or  rhyming  brotherhood,  and  we,  contem- 
plating the  accordance  of  their  spirit,  hail  them  with 
the  acclaim  of  '  Par  nobile  fratrum  /'  they  will  doubt- 
less respond  in  a  shout  of  joy,  '  Fortunati  ambo  /' 

We  shall,  nevertheless,  duly  notice  our  Lexington 
friend.  As  the  work  of  this  gentleman  purports  to 
be  a  direct  reply  to  Mr.  M'Master's  '  Apology,'  that 
work  is  accused  of  an  error  in  chronology,  of  sup- 
pressing a  fact  in  the  history  of  psalmody,  of  misre- 
presenting Drs.  Watts  and  Latta,  of  not  proving  the 
divine  authority  for  the  stated  use  of  the  Book  of 
Psalms,  in  the  psalmody  of  the  church  ;  for  this  is  in- 
capable of  proof,  either  as  respects  the  Old  or  New 
Testament  dispensations,  there  being  in  reality,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  R.  no  such  appointment !  He  main- 
tains that  explicit  appointment,  in  so  many  words,  is 
requisite  to  settle  the  stated  use  of  any  of  the  psalms  ; 
for  an  inference  from  a  command,  however  fair,  is 
no  part   of  the  command,    pages  31t  43j  and,  thirf 


(.    s   )  '      ! 

* 

such  as  confine  themselves  or  others,  to  the  use  of 
inspired  songs,  are  chargeable  with  adding  to  the  word 
of  God  !  Page  43.  Again,  it  would  be  as  easy  to 
sing  the  odes  of  Horace,  as  the  psalms  of  David,  to 
spiritual  edification,  page  37;  and  that  Dr.  Watts 
never  denied  the  deity  of  Christ,  that  he  only  denied 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  I  Pages  20,  21.  There 
is,  of  course,  a  great  deal  of  that  common  place  ma- 
terial which  has  supplied  the  whole  tribe  of  fanatics, 
from  ancient  times  to  this  day,  and  which  has  been 
refuted  and  exposed  by  such  men  as  Brown  and 
Baxter,  before  our  grand  sires  were  born.  Of  this 
material  are  such  fragments  as  these.  The  psalm& 
were  given  on  particular  occasions,  and,  therefore, 
are  unfit  for  general  use.  They  are  Jewish — they 
cannot  be  assumed  as  our  own.  We  may  as  well 
make  our  own  psalms  as  our  own  prayers;  and  all 
that  slang  which  has  filled  the  pages  of  former  and 
present  impertinence  on  this  subject.  Our  readers 
will  not  expect  U3  to  go  into  a  laboured  argument 
against  the  foregoing  follies  and  impieties.  To  state 
most  of  them,  is  to  refute  them,  among  sober  and 
moderately  informed  christians.  To  cast  by  our  re- 
ferences, and  so  conclude  our  labours  of  review7,  we 
are  very  strongly  inclined.  We  would  recommend, 
however,  should  we  do  so,  the  perusal  of  all  the  doc- 
uments refered  to,  by  such  as  can  procure  them. — 
We  are  persuaded  the  argument  of  the  "  Apology  for 
the  Psalms,"  remains  unaffected  by  these  assailants. 
We  recommend,  too,  very  cordially,  Dr.  Anderson's 
volume  on  the  same  subject.  There  the  c^ntrover- 
sy  is  viewed  extensively  in  its  various  branches. 

But  notwithstanding  the  inclination  just  now  ex- 
pressed, for  the  sake  of  those  who  may  not  have  at  hand 
all  the  documents  we  recommend,  a  few  thoughts 
shall  be  offered  on  the  several  subjects  treated  of  by 
our  authors. 

And  first,  a   mighty  discovery  is   made  by  Mr. 
Ruffner.     At  the  out-set  he  says,  the  author  of  the 


{     9    ) 

Apology9  *  refers  the  case  of  P (tufas  of  Somosata, 
to  the  4th  cent.;  but  that  heretic  lived  about  40 
years  before."  This,  were  it  so,  is  of  little  conse- 
quence, except  to  show  the  temper  of  the  man.  It 
is,  however,  not  so  as  stated  by  Mr.  R.  The  fact  is 
this;  Eusebius  was  of  the  4th  cent.  Dr.  Lntta 
had  appealed  to  that  historian,  who  relates  the  affair 
of  Paulus.  The  author  of  the  '  Apology5  follows  Dr. 
L.  to  Eusebius  of  the  4th  cent.,  without  saying  to 
what  period  Paulus  belonged.  So  much  for  Mr.  R's 
perspicacity.  Mr.  M'M.  is  again  accused  of  misrep- 
resenting Dr.  L.,  as  arguing  for  the  exclusive  use  of 
modern  hymns,  from  each  case,  referred  to  page  9. 
Hear  Dr.  L.  for  himself:  "  We  have  already  said 
that  they  (the  inspired  psalms)  were  not  in  use  for  the 
three  first  centuries."  "  Flavius  and  Diodorus, 
were  the  first  who  made  this  innovation."  Pages  76, 
77.  In  the  latter  page  the  reader  will  find  Dr.  L. 
proceeding  upon  the  ground  of  the  exclusive  use  of 
human  compositions,  till  the  4th  century,  and  then 
by  Arians  alone,  as  the  result  of  his  argument  from 
history  ;  Mr.  M'M.  follows  him  in  detail  and  proves 
his  conclusion,  unauthorised  by  his  premises.  Read 
both  and  see  for  yourselves.  But  has  not  Mr.  M'M. 
suppressed  a  very  important  item  in  the  history  of 
Paulus?  The  subject  of  inquiry  must  be  kept  in 
mind  :  It  is,  whether  scripture  psalms  and  hymns 
were,  or  were  not,  used  before  the  4th  century  ;  and 
whether  they  were  then  introduced  by  Arians.  The 
words  in  the  case  of  Paulus,  '  as  being  modern,  and 
the  compositions  of  modern  men,'  it  seems  the  au- 
thor of  the  '  Apology'  did  not  quote,  perhaps  because 
he  saw  they  had  no  bearing  upon  the  question  at  is- 
sue. Were  the  quotation  of  any  consequence  in  the 
argument,  Mr.  R.  might  regret  that  Dr.  L.  had  omit- 
ted it.  But  had  both  Dr.L.  and  Mr.  M'M.  introduced 
it,  it  could  not  have  proved  more  than  is  fully  con- 
ceded in  the  i  Apology.'*  Page  53.      "  I   adnv  fn 

*  We  quote  from  the  3d  Edition. 


\\ 


(    *o    ) 

t 

says  the  author,  M  the  probability  of  hymns  of  human 
composition  being  numerous,  and  that  they  were/re*- 
quently  used  in  the  public  worship,  we  need  not  doubt 
That  many  of  them  were  intended  to  honour,  and  as 
many  to  dishonour  the  Redeemer  of  men,  neither 
the  opinions  of  the  times  nor  the  prime  actors  of 
those  days,  forbid  us  to  suppose."  Mr.  R's  ground 
for  such  immoderate  exultation,  we  really  cannot  see. 
We  are  ready  to  grant  upon  this  head,  all  that  Mr, 
R.  can  justly  require.  Who  is  ignorant  of  the  Thal- 
ia and  Cantica  of  Arius,  composed  in  heathenish 
form,  to  promote  his  heresy  ?  Who  knows  not, 
when  truth  and  purity  were  gone,  that  the  "  addition 
of  various  hymns,  and  other  things  of  that  nature, 
were  considered  as  proper  to  enliven  devotion,  by 
the  power  of  novelty  ?f  Illecebris  erat  et  grata  novitate 
morandus.  Upon  this  principle,  as  a  testimony 
against  heresy,  connected  with  the  Nestorian  con- 
troversy, the  image  of  the  virgin  Mary,  holding  the 
child  Jesus  in  her  arms,  obtained  the  principal 
place.  J  Bring  as  much  of  this  lumber  as  you  please, 
Mr.  R.,  it  will  do  our  cause  no  harm.  The  promo- 
tion of  religion  by  the  power  of  novelty,  and  the  im- 
ages of  Mary  and  of  Christy  as  testimonies  against 
heresy,  will  probably  be  found  to  stand  upon  as  high 
authority,  and  to  be  every  way  as  serviceable  to  the 
cause  of  godliness,  as  were  either  those  hymns  of 
human  composure  at  Antioch,  or  those  of  more  re- 
cent date.  Let  them  all  have  a  place  upon  the  same 
shelf.  As  to  Mr.  R's  reasoning  upon  Pliny's  letter, 
it  is  evident  he  has  either  never  seen  it,  or  he  does 
not  understand  what  it  states.  We  are  unwilling  to 
accuse  him  of  dishonesty  in  his  use  of  it. 

Upon  the  subject  oi'  Dr.  Watts'  language  respect- 
ing the  Book  of  Psalms,  Mr.  R,  complains,  as  was 
to  be  expected,  that  Mr.  M'M.  treats  the  Dr.  unfair- 
ly.    And  in  what  does  he  do  so  ?     He  does  not  give 

*134.     f  Mosh.     }Da.54< 


•    (  «  ) 

all  the  rea3oning,  and  explanations,  and  parentheses 
of  Dr.  W  !  Were  Mr.  W.  to  give  an  outline  of  Whit- 
bey  on  the  five  points ;  of  Hopkins'  System,  or  of 
Priestley's  comparison  of  Jesus  Christ  and  Socrates, 
must  he,  to  do  it  fairly,  transcribe  the  whole  of  those; 
works  ?  Dr.  Priestley  complained,  that  when  his  as- 
sertion, that  Paul  did  not  always  reason  logically^ 
was  criticised,  his  reasons  for  so  saying  were  not  re- 
garded. The  truth  is,  the  assertions  of  Dr.  W.,  like 
those  of  Dr.  P.,  should  never  have  been  made; 
they  do  not  admit  of  satisfactory  explanation  ;  and 
even  as  exhibited  by  Mr.  R.,  are  as  abominable  and 
impious  as  in  the  outline  of  Mr.  M'M.  And  in  the 
prefaces  where  they  are  found,  exolanations  and  all, 
they  appear  as  bad  as  any  where  else. 

On  the  subject  of  the  Dr's  general  creed,  much 
has  been  said,  and  much  is  repeated  in  the  books 
under  review.  We  have  a  word  or  two,  likewise,, 
to  add.  To  us,  it  appears,,  that  Dr.  Watts  never  in^ 
teUigently  believed  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  as 
taught  in  divine  revelation,  and  professed  in  the 
symbols  of  the  Church  of  God.  That  he  was  not., 
in  early  life,  decidedly  hostile  to  that  doctrine,  may 
be  true ;  but  that  he  knowingly,  cordially,  and  un- 
reservedly, embraced  it,  upon  examination  does  not, 
appear.  The  phraseology  he  indeed  employs ;  but 
so  would  the  Sabellian,  the  indwelling-scheme  men, 
and  the  Arian.  That  Dr.  W.,  when  he  wrote  his 
piece  on  the  Trinity,  the  preface  and  introduction  to 
which,  Dr.  Janeway,  of  Philadelphia,  circulated 
through  the  medium  of  the  Presbyterian  Magazine, 
for  July  1821,  to  prove  that  Dr.  Watts  "was  so  far 
from  being  shaken  in  his  belief  of  that  glorious  doc- 
trine of  divine  revelation,  that  he  become  still  more 
firmly  settled  in  a  conviction  of  its  beiag  plainly  taught 
in  the  sacred  scriptures  ;"  when  he  wrote  this  piece5 
we  say,  he  was  undoubtedly  unsettled  in  this  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity.  In  the  preface  and  introduc- 
tion thus  published,  there  is  nothing  to  which  a  Sa*> 


1 


( 


) 


bellian  could  not  subscribe  ?    He  uses  the  term  three 
persons,  but  he  claims  liberty  to  explain  ihe  import 
of  those  terms  in  his  own  way.       He  identifies  per* 
sons  with  principles  of  action  :   ;i  three  such  distinct 
agents  or  principles  of  aciion,  as  may,  reasonably,  be 
called  persons.*      Dr.  Janeway  is,  perhaps,  not  to  be 
blamed  for  intellectual    incompetancy  to  understand 
Dr.  W.,  but  :£  he  did  understand  him,  he  is  criminal 
in  practising  a'deception,  to  serve  a  little   party  pur- 
pose.      This  book   of  Dr.  W's.,    was   published   in 
1122]  and,  in  three/years  after,  he  came  out  openly 
against  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.     This  wasinihe 
flower  of  intellectual  life,  just  as  he  had  passed  the  10th 
lustrum,  and  twenty-three  years  before  his  death. — 
In  all  his  heretical  pieces,  he  displays  maturity  of  in- 
tellect, and,  we  think,  more   vigor  than  in  his  other 
works.     It  was  in  this  year,  1725,  that  Mr.  Bradbu- 
bury,  a  name  justly   high  in   the  churches,  charged 
Dr.  W.  with  "making  the  divinity  of  Christ  to  evap- 
orate into  a  mere  attribute."     Mr.  B.,  after  treating 
the  Dr's.  professions  of  love  to   truth   with  a   sneer, 
says,  M  It  is  pity,  after  you  have  been  more  than  thir- 
ty years  a  teacher  of  others,  you  are  yet  to  learn  the 
first  principles  of  the  Oracles  of  God*     Was  Dr.  Ow- 
en's church  to  be   taught   another  Jesus  ?  That  the 
Son  and  the  Spirit  were  only  two  powers  in  the  divine 
nature  !"*     And  what  says  Dr.  W.  himself  in  a  let- 
ter to  Dr.  Colaman  ?     "  1  think  I  have  said    every 
thing  concerning  the  Son  of   God   which   scripture 
says ;  but  I  could  not  go  so  far  as  to  say  with  some 
orthodox  divines,  that  the  Son  is  equal  with  the  Fa- 
ther." 


*  Watt's  Memoirs. 


Y   13  ; 

There  is,  however,  one  argument  adduced  for  the 
continued  orthodoxy  of  Watts,  which  merits  a  passing 
remark.     He  never  called  in,  or  altered   his  hymns, 
or  doxologies,  in  which  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
is  recognise'         The    correspondence  between   Mr. 
J\l      'n  romkins,  of  Stoke    Newington,  and  Dr.  W. 
on  this  very  subject,  will  unvail  this  mystery.     Mr. 
Tomkins,  an  avowed  enemy  of  the  scripture  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity,  pressed  Dr.    Watts,    with    the  great 
inconsistency    between     his    real    sentiments,    and 
those  contained   in  his  hymns,  &ic.     "  I  freely  an- 
swer," said  the  Dr.,  "  I  wish  some  things  were  cor- 
rected ;"  and    after  assigning  some  prudential  rea- 
sons for  not  doing  it,  adds — "  I  might  tell  you,  that 
of  all  the  books  I  have  written,  that  particular  copy 
is  not  mine.     I  sold  it  for  a  trifle  to  Mr.  Lawrence ; 
and  I  can  scarcely  claim  a  right  to  make  any  altera- 
tions in  the  book  which  would  injure  the  sale  of  it."* 
To  establish  the  orthodoxy  of  Dr.  W.,  not  a  particle 
of  evidence   has  been  adduced,   but  has    been    set 
aside,  by  the  most  satisfactory  proof.     His  own  wri- 
ting, his  undisguised  declarations,  the  testimony  and 
rebuke  of  Bradbury,  the  declaration  and  wrritings  of 
president  Edwards,  of  Dr.  Ely,  and  the  admission  of 
even  Mr.  RufFner,  all  go  to  prove  him  at  least  a  Sa- 
bellian,  a  denier  of  three  distinct  persons  in  God. — 
We  ask,  is  the  God  of  Sabellians  the  God  of  Israel? 
No.     Was  it  then  honourable  in  those  managers  of 
the  "  Presbyterian  Magazine,"  to  whom  its   super- 
intendence belonged,   to  hold    up  men  whom  they 
were  confessing  as    brethren,  and    inviting   to  their 
communion,  as  forgers  and  slanderers^  to  the  odium 
of  the  public  !      Were  they  not  aware  that  in  a  few 
short  months  this  deed  would  be  unmasked?     Was 
it  consistent  with  fidelity  to  their  God,  to  their  own 
vows,  to  the  immortal  interests  of  their  flock,  to  hold 
up  a  man  as  unshaken  in   his  foith  of  the  Trinity, 


Watts'  Memoirs. 


2 


(    14   ) 

whose  pernicious  works,  which  have  seduced  many; 
were  circulating  among  them?  Or  did  Dr.  Janeway 
alone,  pit  his  mighty  name  against  those  of  Bradbu- 
ry, Coleman,  Hervey,  Edwards,  Ely,  &c.  and  hope 
to  succeed,  in  the  face  of  all  truth  and  evidence  to 
the  contrary,  in  establishing  the  charge  of  falsehood 
and  slander  against  them  ?  Humble  and  self  denied 
man  !  We  are,  however,  disinclined  in  the  present 
<tate  of  religious  knowledge  and  strong  party  feeling, 
to  urge  a  subject  which  might  hasten  the  departure 
of  any  from  professed  attachment  to  the  Trinitarian 
lines,  to  seek  a  place  under  the  pestilential  atmos- 
phere and  in  the  devoted  ranks  of  Socinianism,  JLri- 
anism,  or  Sabellianism.  There  are  other  agencies 
operating  such  a  change  of  sides,  and  their  success 
is  sufficiently  rapid.  Our  part  shall  be  honestly, 
however  feebly,  to  counteract  the  evil  by  lifting  up 
a  voice  of  warning,  without  regard  to  mere  party  in- 
terest. 

But  after  all,  why  so  much  ado  about  the  ortho- 
doxy of  Dr.  W.  ?  What  matters  it  how  heretical  he 
was,  if  his  psalms  and  hymns  be  sound  ?  To  us,  in- 
deed, it  is  little  matter,  so  far  as  this  inquiry  is  con- 
cerned ;  but  it  appears  some  conscientious  people 
are  disposed  to  ascribe  to  it  a  good  deal  of  conse- 
quence; and  even  the  gentlemen,  now  before  us,  seem 
very  sensitive  upon  the  point.  And,  whatever  the 
Carlisle  hinter  might  do>  there  are,  perhaps,  very 
few,  whose  religious  sensibilities  are  of  that  obtuse 
character,  that  would  permit  them  to  take  their 
psalms  from  either  a  known  Socinian  or  from  the 
devil,  merely  because  such  compositions  did  not 
contain  a  lie.  That  gentleman  informs  us  pretty 
plainly  of  his  accommodating  disposition  in  this  res- 
pect. "  Even  admitting  that  Dr.  W.  was  a  Socini- 
an, what  relation  has  this  fact  to  the  point  in  hand  ? 
Would  truth  become  a  lie  because  it  might  come 
from  the  mouth  of  the  devil  ?"  Hints,  p.  62.  Re- 
flecting men  will,  perhaps,  be  weak  enough  to  beC^r 


/ 


(     15     ) 

that,  considering  psalmody  in  all  the  extent  of  its  in- 
fluence upon  religious  character,  the  creed  of  their 
psalmist  may  become  so  dear  to  the  worshippers,  as 
to  recommend  to  their  favourable  regard  all  his  de- 
liberate opinions,  good  or  bad.  This,  in  the  case 
before  us  would  be  a  deplorable  result.  And  fur- 
ther, even  those  who  are  but  little  restrained,  either 
by  the  pride  of  consistency,  or  fear  of  results,  there 
may  stiil  be  a  feeling  of  repugnance,  in  directly  ad- 
dressing their  God  and  Redeemer,  in  the  language 
of  a  man  whose  literature  and  whole  mental  efficien- 
cy were,  put  in  requisition  to  teach  another  God, 
and  as  Mr.  Bradbury  expressed  it,  "  to  teach  another 
Jesus"  than  the  Bible  reveals.  Upon  this  subject 
there  is  much  to  be  said  ;  but  for  the  present  we  have 
done  with  it. 

A  word  or  two  must  be  offered  on  the  main  argu- 
ment. We  think  the  author  of  the  'Apology'  has 
stated  with  sufficient  distinctness,  the  position  for 
which  he  pleads  :  "A  correct  version  of  the  whole 
Book  of  Psalms  should  be  employed  in  the  psalmo- 
dy of  the  church  of  Christ."  pp.  77,  78.  In  this  we 
see  nothing  of  Rouse  and  exclusive  use  of  the  Book 
of  Psalms.  The  author  indeed  seems,  for  himself, 
among  existing  versions,  to  prefer  that,  erroneously 
called  Rouse's,  and  is  satisfied  with  the  exclusive 
use  of  the  Book  of  Psalms ;  but  we  are  assured  he 
makes  no  matter  of  controversy  with  others,  if  they  use 
another  version,  or  employ  other  inspired  songs.  No 
church, indeed,  known  to  us,  pleads  for  the  statement 
put  into  their  mouths  by  those  critics.  Mr.  Ruffner 
says  it  is  this:  "  Let  all  Christians  sing  Rouse's  version 
of  the  Psalms  and  nothing  else."  This  false  statement 
is  made  again  and  again  by  these  men,  and  by  abet- 
ter man,  we  think,  than  either  of  them,  Dr.  Ely,  is 
repeated.  Hear  Mr.  M'M.  for  himself.  "  The  in- 
quiry," says  he,  "  is  not  whether  it  be  lawful  to  use, 
in  the  praises  of  God,  any  other  inspired  songs  beside 
what  are  found  in  the  Book  of  Psalms.      Nor  is  Tt 


r   i6  ; 

any  matter  of  dispute,  in  the  present  instance,  what 
version  of  the  inspired  songs  shall  be  used."  Again, 
"  Let  us  have  that  which  justly  merits  the  name  of 
a  version  and  the  contest  shall  end."  These  state- 
ments, the  author  of  the  '  Apology'  repeatedly  makes, 
and  with  a  solicitude  that  they  should  be  attended  to, 
it  seems,  not  without  necessity.  Why,  then,  do  all 
who  have  appeared  against  him,  make  that  which  he 
so  emphatically  rejects,  the  very  subject  of  dispute  ? 
Is  it  that  they  may  have  the  opportunity  of  trying 
their  logical  weapons  upon  that  from  which  they  are 
sure  no  injury  can  come  to  them  ?  Gentlemen,  en- 
joy your  victory  over  your  man  of  straw  !  We  do  not 
plead  for  the  use  of  the  Book  of  Psalms  exclusively 
of  other  inspired  songs,  nor  do  we  plead  for  any  par- 
ticular version  exclusively  of  others ;  and  yet,  as  you 
suppose  we  must,  we  do  not  give  up  the  question  in- 
asmuch as  that  is  not  the  question  at  all.  We  can 
very  consistently  plead  for  the  continued  use  of  the 
T>^^r  of  Psalms,  to  the  exclusion  of  Watts'  imitation 

and  hymns,  and  yet  admit  of  other  nmpi^*  "jmns. 
If  you  cannot  see  what  every  body  else  sees,  we  can- 
not help  it. 

There  is  something  in  the  pleadings  and  admis- 
sions of  these  gentlemen,  proving  very  clearly  that 
either  a  very  good  or  very  bad  exterior  influence  is 
in  operation,  keeping  them  back  from  a  full  and  con- 
sistent developement  of  all  their  heart.  An  internal 
principle  of  action  appears  in  operation,  whether 
good  or  bad  we  do  not  say,  and  the  eye  directed  to 
some  opposite  influential  cause,  leads  to  very  palpa- 
ble and  very  ludicrous  contradictions  ;  the  heart  ur- 
ging the  tongue  and  the  pen  now,  and  then  the  bran- 
dishing of  the  master's  whip  compels  to  a  contrary 
act.  Our  readers  will  perceive  the  correctness  and 
the  application  of  this  remark  by  such  specimens  of 
these  works  as  the  following  :  "  The  great  point  at 
issue,"  says  the  Carlisle  man,  "  is  not,  whether  human 
songs,  are  to  be  sung ;  but  whether  the  king  of  Zion, 


(  11  ) 

as  not  granted  her,  fthe  church,)  the  privilege  of 
employing    the   compositions   of  uninspired   men !" 

The  question  at  issue  is  not  whether  the  psalms  of 
David  have  been  or  may  yet  be  lawfully  sung  by  the 
church  :"  for  Mr.  M'M.  M  has  proved  that  the  church 
may  employ  the  book  of  psalms  in  her  praise ;  what 
he  says  is  proper  enough  in  its  place  ;"  yet  such  is 
the  local  character  of  some  of  these  psalms,  extermi- 
natingand  havoc  making  spirit  of  others,  and  the  "po- 
litical righteousness"  cast  of  many,  that  "  an  entire 
new  psalmody  must  be  introduced.  The  old,  Da- 
vid's psalms,  have  by  the  very  fact  of  Christ's  death, 
in  a  great  measure  been  rendered  unsuitable  and  in- 
appropriate." See  the  book,  especially,  pp.  6,  7,  10, 
11,14,47. 

Thus  in  like  manner  Mr.  Ruffner  bends  his  whole 
force  to  prove  that  the  book  of  psalms,  neither  un- 
der the  Old  nor  New7  Testament,  was  used  in  the 
stated  psalmody  of  the  church  by  divine  authority^ 
That  there  are  reasons  to  induce  the  belief,  that 
undei  the  Old  Testament  they  did  not  use  all  the 
psalms  ;  that  the  book  of  psalms  is  just  a  number  of 
psalms  that,  floating  about  without  finding  a  suitable 
place  in  other  books,  were  gathered  into  this  collec- 
tion; that,  nevertheless,  the  Jews  commonly  sung 
out  of  the  book  of  psalms  with  divine  approbation, 
that  though  this  collection  be  very  defective  and  ob- 
scure, yet  Paul  did  not  teach  the  Gentile  Christians 
to  lay  it  aside  from  their  psalmody;  that  it  is  not 
probable  the  Christians  of  Bythinia  would  sing  the 
inspired  psalms,  because  the  Jews  who  blasphemed 
Christ  sung  them  ;  that  it  is  yery  probable  that  Paul 
of  Samosaia,  the  enemy  and  reviler  of  Jesus  Christ, 
when  he  set  aside  the  hymns  that  were  sung  at  Anti- 
och,  adopted  those  given  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
aiore  suited  to  his  views;  that  an  inference,  fairly 
drawn,  exhibiting  the  intention  of  a  divine  command, 
is  no  part  of  the  command  ;  and  that  Dr.  Watts  nev- 
er denied  the    deity  of  Christ ;  that  he  was  only  a 


(     18     ) 

Sabellian,  and  denied  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity  !  A 
number  of  good  things  are  said  by  these  gentlemen, 
after  the  example  of  their  predecessors,  respecting 
the  book  of  psalms.  This  must  have  been  done  by 
them  ;  yet  their  cause  has  forced  them  to  say  such 
things  of  it  as  tend  to  diminish  the  veneration  of  the 
reader  for  that  important  portion  of  the  sacred  vol- 
ume. We  are  wearied  and  disgusted  with  their  a- 
bominable  principles.  How  chilly  and  deadly  the 
representations  made  of  the  book  of  psalms  by  Watts, 
Wesley,  L*atta,  Ruffner,  and  the  rest !  How  great  the 
contrast  between  them  and  the  deep  devotion  exhi- 
bited, and  soul  inspiring  views  given,  by  Pool,  Hen- 
ry, Scott,  Home  and  Horsley!  We  beg  our  readers 
pardon  for  venturing  to  inscribe  such  names  upon 
the  same  page  with  those  of  the  men  who  revile  this 
part  of  the  inspired  volume. 

We  leave  Mr.  R.  to  form  conjectures  and  to  draw 
conclusions  upon  the  supposition  of  a  book  of  inspir- 
ed prayers  having  been  given  to  us.  The  fact  being 
that  no  such  book  was  ever  possessed  by  the  Church, 
to  reason  about  it  is  waste  of  time.  The  old  cant  of 
not  being  able  to  assume  the  matter  of  the  Book  of 
Psalms,  as  our  own,  is  so  unmeaning,  so  uncandid,  so 
self-inconsistent,  that  we  cannot  come  down  to  rea- 
son it.  Dr.  Watts,  and  all,  admit  that  we  may  sing 
narratives  not  expressive  of  our  own  experience  ;  and 
by  a  reference  to  the  hymn  book  of  these  men,  there 
will  be  found,  in  every  page,  much  that  many,  per- 
haps the  majority  of  worshippers,  cannot  assume  as 
their  own.  Whether  we  read  or  sing  the  descrip- 
tions of  the  ancient  temple  worship,  we  ought  to  take 
the  principle  of  what  the  spirit  of  God  exhibits  to  our 
view,  and  make  of  it  an  instructive  application.  This 
we  may  do  in  singing  as  well  as  in  reading.  The 
Author  of  the  apology,  had  pointed  out  how  this 
might  be  done,  and  from  that  Mr.  R.,  something  in 
what  is  understood  to  be  the  manner  of  the  lower 
°lass  of  those  very  consonantly  denominated  pettifogs 


\  (  «  ) 

jgws,  attempts  to  turn  the  whole  into  matter  of  pro- 
fane jest,  p.  37.  We  shall  notice  this  in  the  sequel. 
Nothing,  it  seems,  will  satisfy  these  gentlemen,  as 
proof  of  a  divine  appointment,  less  than  "  totidem 
verbis ,"  just  so  many  words.  Mr.  R.  instructs  us 
that  an  inference  embracing  and  exhibiting  the  inten- 
tion of  a  command,  is  no  part  of  the  law  !  p.  31.  He 
and  we,. then,  must  cease  from  ail  future  attempts  at 
reasoning.  We  cannot  reason  without  inferring,  and 
the  intention  of  our  premises  is  really  what  we  want. 
We  place  the  argument  for  the  divine  appointment  of 
the  Book  of  Psalms,  in  the  Church's  psalmody,  on 
a  similar  footing  with  the  warrant  for  the  continued 
application  of  the  seal  of  God's  covenant,  to  the  in- 
fants of  the  Church.  Presbyterian  church  govern- 
ment, the  first  dav  of  the  wTeek  as  the  Christian  sab- 
bath,  the  female's  right  to  sacramental  communion, 
and  other  things,  which  are  all  matters  of  inference  ; 
and  whatever  Mr.  R.  and  his  friends  may  suppose, 
are  institutions  of  divine  right.  Upon  this  deeply 
interesting  subject  there  appears,  in  these  men,  and 
we  fear  it  is  generally  prevalent,  a  deplorable  igno- 
rance. He  is  unworthy  the  name  of  a  divine  who 
has  not  settled  upon  a  scriptural  basis,  a  definite 
view  of  what  establishes  a  divine  right.  We  have 
precisely  the  same  reason  to  suppose  that  every 
psalm  of  the  sacred  collection  was  appointed  to  stated 
use,  that  we  have  to  believe  that  any  wrere ;  and  we 
have  as  strong  reason  to  believe  that  the  Book  of 
Psalms  was  given  for  the  purpose  of  psalmody,  as  to 
believe  that  they  were  given  for  the  public  use  of  the 
Church  at  all.  Their  title,  their  form  and  matter, 
their  spirit,  their  collection  into  one  Book  by  inspired 
authority,  the  uncontradicted  fact  of  their  use  in  the 
psalmody  of  the  Church  of  old,  and  under  the  New 
Testament,  without  exception;  this  use  opposed  by 
none,  at  any  timo,  but  the  wildest  fanatics,  and  vin- 
dicated by  the  ornaments  of  the  Church  in  every  age ; 
by  Augustine    formerly,  by  the  Reformers,  Calvin* 


(    20    ) 

Luther,  Beza.  Knox;  all  of  whom  were  careful  to 
have  the  Churches  supplied  with  literal  versions  for 
their  psalmody  ;  and  in  later  times  they  have  found 
their  advocates  in  such  men  as  Brown,  Marshal,  and 
Baxter ;  in  Ridgeley,  Romain,  Gill,  Scott,  Horsley, 
and  others,  of  a  period  more  recent,  establish  for 
these  Psalms  this  claim.  We  indeed  are  proud  in 
being  allowed,  with  such  associates  and  against  such 
opponents,  an  humble  place  in  defending  this  invalu- 
able Book.  Are  these  men  not  aware,  that  the  great- 
er part  of  the  scriptures  was  written  upon  particular 
occasions,  and  with  a  reference  to  particular  cases, 
but  exhibited  upon  general  principles,  calculated  to 
direct  the  people  of  God  in  succeeding  times  ?  With 
just  the  same  reason,  that  is  none  at  all,  might  it  be 
urged,  that  most  of  Paul's  Epistles  are  not  of  general 
use,  and  that  in  totidem  verbis)  we  have  no  authority 
for  reading  all  of  them  or  any  of  them  publickly,  in 
the  Church.  The  tendency  of  such  an  objection  is 
to  no  purpose,  except  to  unsettle  the  faith  of  the  ig- 
norant and  to  secure  the  contempt  of  the  wise. 

We  dismiss  this  part  of  our  labour  with  a  remark 
or  two,  to  which  we  invite  the  attention  of  our  read- 
res.  Psalmody  is  an  institution,  like  every  other  di- 
vine one,  agreeing  with  others  in  many  points;  but 
in  something  essentially  distinct  from  them  all.  What 
then  is  peculiar  in  Psalmody  ?  Certainly  not  the  ob- 
ject addressed,  nor  the  state  of  the  worshipper;  nei- 
ther is  it  in  carefully  observing  the  general*  spirit  of 
religious  worship..  It  is  in  the  following  points  that 
psalmody  is  peculiar  :  tuning  the  voice  with  highly 
elevated  sensibilities  of  heart,  led  on  by  the  understand- 
ing, sanctified  by  the  illuminating  grace  of  God  ;  the 
mindand  the  affections  are  to  be  instructed  and  led 
on  by  the  matter  sung  ;  in  prayer,  with  which  psalm- 
ody is  often  very  thoughtlessly  identified,  a  simple 
articulation  or  even  mental  address,  if  personal,  is  all 
that  is  required;  while  the  understanding,  the  affec- 
tions and   circumstances  of  the  worshipper.,  suggest 


(    21     ) 

the  language  to  be  used,  and  lead  in  the  form  of  ex- 
pression. The  intention  of  the  ordinance  of  prayer, 
and  not  of  Psalmody,  is  to  bring  our  own  and  the 
case  of  others,  as  far  as  known,  before  God  in  direcl 
expressions  thereof;  and  the  prayer  that  does  not  so 
is  unworthy  of  the  name.  This  is  the  ordinance  in 
which  the  present  condition  of  our  own  hearts  and  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  our  lives,  at  the  instant  are 
to  be  opened  up  without  reserve  before  the  throne  of 
mercy;  and  for  this  purpose  God  has  not  furnished 
a  liturgy  of  prayer  to  his  church,  but  he  has  given  a 
general  pattern,  and  furnished,  in  the  doctrines, 
promises,  and  commands  of  his  Bible,  an'abundance 
of  material  for  supplication,  and  withal  has  promised 
his  spirit,  as  the  spirit  of  grace  and  prayer,  to  aid  in 
the  whole  of  the  duty,  leading  the  soul  to  proper  mat- 
ter, fit  expressions,  and  supplying  the  holy  influence 
that  gives  the  intensity  of  heart  requisition  in  this  part 

J  of  devotion.  The  design  of  Psalmody  is  more  gen- 
eral, more  extensive,  and  contemplates,  immediately, 
that  which  is  more  important:  the  recounting  of  the 
I  displays  of  Jehovah's  character,  whether  made  in 
creation  at  iarge,  in  general  providence,  or  in  special 
acts  of  mercy  and  love.  For  this  purpose  God  has 
not  only,  as  in  the  case  of  prayer,  given  the  general 
light  of  his  word  and  promised  his  spirit  to  sanctify 
the  heart,  but  has  done  more  ;  as  the  words  are  in- 
tended to  lead  the  mind  and  awaken  to  devotional 
sentiment  the  heart,  he  has  furnished  the  liturgy  of 
sacred  song,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  infalli- 
bly unfolding,  with  an  energy  unknown  to  the  pro- 
ductions of  uninspired  men,the  glory  of  his  attrib- 
utes as  drawn  in  his  all-comprehensive  plans,  his 
works  and  grace.  In  Zion's  inspired  hymns  there  is 
no  grace,  no  holy  disposition  passed  over,  no  sorrow 
of  a  godly  sort,  but  is  delineated,  no  fibre  of  celestial 
joy  but  is  finely  touched,  nor  is  there  a  perfection  of 
tbe  Divinity  that  remains  unsung,  in  those  odes  of 
heavenly  birth.     We  repeat    with   the   "  Apology," 


(     22     )        ' 

'"  It  is  precisely  what  a  liturgy  of  Psalms  ought  to  be.*J 
Indistinct  views  of  the  nature  and  end  of  God's  insti- 
tutions, and  disregard  of  their  essential  distinctions, 
have  confounded  the  minds  of  many  and  have  been 
productive  of  much  evil  in  the  Church  of  God.  Alas! 
the  low  state  of  sound  theological  learning.  When 
shall  the  spirit  of  the  Reformation  age  bless  again  our 
world  ? 

In  the  spirit  of  the  above  views  we  sing  the  uner- 
ring descriptions  of  the  experience  of  others,  though 
not  like  our  own,  as  God's  instructive  exhibitions  of 
character;  we  sing  what  he  has  done  in  other  days, 
as  unfolding  his  attributes  :  we  sing  the  vows  and 
services  of  the  saints,  rendered  according  to  the  di- 
vine will,  as  examples  of  devotion ;  and  we  sing  of 
sacrifices  offered  at  Zion,  as  most  impressive  exhibi- 
tions of  the  blood  of  atonement  offered  for  the  salva- 
tion of  man,  together  with  its  accompanying  doctrines. 
In  doing  all  this,  we  hope  to  embrace  the  principle 
which  pervades  the  whole,  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of 
our  inspired  song  ;  and,  with  us,  it  is  a  matter  of  no 
moment,  whether  we  be  led  to  behold  the  Lamb  of 
God  through  the  medium  of  a  type,  a  prophecy,  a  his- 
tory, a  promise,  or  a  command,  exhibited  to  our  minds 
by  the  spirit  of  our  Redeemer.  Our  great  business  is 
to  behold  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  in 
order  to  a  transformation  into  his  imag;e,  and  to  re- 
fleet  back  the  splendour  of  that  image  to  its  great 
Original.  Both  these  ends  are  remarkably  effected 
in  the  singing  of  Zion's  inspired  songs,  while  the 
wrords  and  the  dictates  of  the  Holy  One  awaken  the 
mind  and  lead  the  affections,  the  impression  of  the 
living  image  of  the  living  God  is  deeply  made  upon 
the  soul,  the  glories  of  his  name  are  sung,  in  hymns 
which  God  himself  has  given,  and  in  a  tone  of  sol- 
emnity too  deep  to  meet  the  notice  of  a  giddy  and 
heedless  world. 

All  this  requires  understanding   and  grace.      We 
fear  that  ignorance  and  little  grace  lie  at  the  founds- 


(     23     } 

tlon  of  that  systematic  opposition  to  the  stated  use  ol 
the  Book  of  Psalms,  which  has  for  some  time  ap- 
peared. In  confirmation  of  this,  we  refer  to  a  well 
written  essay  in  the  'Presbyterian  Magazine,' of  Ju- 
ly, 1822,  under  the  signature  of  Moderator.  Hav- 
ing expressed  his  regret  for  the  want  of  a  literal  ver- 
sion of  the  Psalms,  more  smooth  and  harmonious, 
the  writer  supposes  that  "  to  this  want  is  to  be  as- 
cribed \n  part  the  disrelish  into  which  the  psalms  of 
Scripture  have  fallen  with  many  pious  persons,  but," 
adds  he,  "  it  is  humbly  conceived,  it  is  not  the  chief 
reason.  The  very  excellence  of  the  Psalms  them- 
selves has  it  effect.  The  depth  of  matter,  their  spir- 
ituality, their  sublimity,  their  transcendent  elevation 
of  devotion,  raise  them  above  the  comprehension, 
and  above  the  standard  of  devotional  feeling  of  ordi- 
nary Christians.  It  is  a  fact  that  Christians  of  de- 
ficient attainments  often  find  themselves  more  edifi- 
ed in  reading  other  books  than  the  Bible,  and  really 
relish  them  more.  But  the  higher  Christians  rise  in 
gracious  experience,  the  higher  is  their  esteem  for 
the  pure  word  of  God,  until  at  length  every  human 
production  becomes  insipid  in  comparison  therewith. 
As  it  certainly  can  have  no  good  effect  to  promote, 
in  the  public  mind,  a  preference  of  other  books  to 
the  Bible,  so  it  is  conceived  there  can  no  good  effect 

1  arise  from  promoting  in  the  public  taste,  a  preference 
of  other  compositions  to  the  Psalms  the  Holy  Spirit 
hath  inspired."  The  essay  is  excellent  throughout, 
with  two  exceptions,  and  ministers  severe  rebuke  to 
such  writers  as  we  now  mention.  The  author  con- 
founds the  ordinance  of  psalmody  and  prayer;  and. 
in  his  implied  laying  aside,  for  a  time,  the  use  of 
an  inspired  song  to  accommodate  ignorance  and  a  low 
state  of  grace,  we  think  him  incorrect.  There  is, 
we  fear,  too  much  of  this  coming  down  and  staying 
down.  In  the  case  before  us  it  is  lamentably  so. — 
The  gran  dour  of  the  Book  of  God  is  intended  to  ele- 
vate the  character   of  man  ;  it   calls  him  up,  as  did 


■ 


I 


(     24     ) 

the  voice  which  addressed  the  Apostle  John,  to  en- 
large the  compass  of  his  view.  All  the  depth  on 
those  divine  songs  cannot  be  fathomed,  let  us,  how- 
ever, according  to  our  depth,  enjoy  their  salubrious  1 
purity  ;  all  the  extent  of  divine  excellence  which  ! 
they  infold  cannot  at  once  be  taken  in  by  us,  yet  we 
are  mistaken  if  more  will  not  be  had,  by  occupying 
this  boundless  field,  than  by  hedging  up  the  ignorant 
in  the  narrow  and  barren  spot  which  his  own  little 
mind  can  cover.  There  too  the  Christian  of  advanc- 
ed grace  must  be  fettered  and  must  languish.  Let 
us  have  the  whole  and  advance  from  step  to  step, 
from  field  to  field.  Away  with  this  belittering  ac- 
commodation to  ignorance  and  gracelessness  from 
the  church  forever.  Let  her  lengthen  her  cords  and 
strengthen  her  stakes. 

A  third  general  article  of  these  little  volumes  mer- 
its attention:  The  proof  that  the  church  never  was 
under  any  dispensation,  confined  to  inspired  songs. 
The  author  of  the  '  Hints'  states  it  thus:  "  We  are 
bold  to  assert  that  it  is  a  right,  or  privilege,  which  the 
church  has  ever  possessed,  to  enjoy  in  her  praise  the 
compositions  of  uninspired  men,  and  that  it  now  re- 
mains valid  and  sure."  p.  28.  With  the  author  at 
Carlisle  the  writer  of  the  '  Strictures'  agrees  in  this. 
Now  what  is  the  evidence  which  gives  such  confi- 
dence ?  Why,  that  Solomon  wrote  1005  songs,  one 
of  which  only  has  come  down  to  us.  This  boastful 
scribe  does  not  indeed  condescend  to  tell  whether 
the  other  1004  songs,  which  he  says,  Lave  not  come 
down  to  us,  were  religious,  inspired,  philosophical, 
historical,  or  fanciful  songs ;  perhaps  because  he  did 
not  know.  Let  us  then  see  his  argument  in  due 
form.  Solomon  wrote  1005  songs,  1st  Kings,  4,  32. 
But  of  1004  of  these  songs,  as  to  their  character  or 
use,  we  know  nothing.  Therefore,  the  ancient 
church  used,  in  her  praise,  uninspired  compositions  ! 
This  is  argument,  indeed.  He,  however,  gives  us 
more.     "  The  titles  of  some  of  the  psalms  show  that 


(     25     ) 

there  were  others  written  by  the  same  persons — A 
psalm  of  Asaph — a  prayer  of  Moses — one  out  of  ma- 
ny." This  is  the  whole  of  the  second  proof.  Ta- 
king his  averment  as  all  true,  the  argument  is  this  : 
Moses  and  Asaph  were  inspired  prophets.  But  they 
wrote  many  psalms  for  the  use  of  the  church  ;  there- 
fore the. church  used  in  her  praise  compositions  of 
uninspired  men.  Strong  as  these  arguments  are,  he 
seems  to  hesitate  a  little  in  respect  of  their  sufficien- 
cy, seeing  'these  songs  were  never  used  by  the 
church,'  according  to  his  own  concession  !  p.  29. 

The  next  proof  of  the  position  is  taken  from  Isa. 
38,  20.  Hezekiah,  he  assures  us,  introduced  unin- 
spired hymns  of  his  own  composition  into  the  worship 
of  the  temple  :  We  will  sing  my  songs  in  the  stringed 
instruments  all  the  days  of  our  life  on  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  As  this  scripture  has  been  adduced  by  the 
predecessors  of  our  authors,  in  this  dispute,  we  shall 
examine  what  it  proves.  The  whole  proof  of  q 
human  psalmody  rests  on  the  words,  my  songs,  and 
the  assumption  that  Hezekiah  was  not  inspired.  A 
right  understanding  of  the  word  rendered,  my  songs, 
will  settle  the  whole  matter.  Dr.  Lowth  renders  the 
this  scripture  thus:  "  Therefore  will  we  sing  our 
ongs  to  the  harp."  The  original  is,  uneginuthi  nen- 
egen.  Let  it  be  literally  rendered  and  it  is,  There- 
fore we  will  play  upon  my  stringed  instruments. — - 
There  is  no  distinct  word  for  songs  ;  but  as  the  mu- 
sic was  employed  in  subserviency  to  the  song,  the 
psalm  is  implied  and  is  very  properly  brought  into 
view  in  the  translation.  JVegen,  to  play  upon  an  sn- 
irument,  or  harp,  corresponds  to  th«  Greek,  <paXXw, 
the  word  used  by  James,  ch.  5,  13;  the  noun  is  in- 
cluded in  the  verb;  but  the  passage  gives  no  hint 
that  Hezekiah  made  his  song  any  more  than  his  harp. 
Lowth's  version  gives  very  nearly  the  whole  import 
of  the  sentence,  but  not  entirely.  This  is  more  full 
and  more  literal :  Therefore  we  will  sing  our  songs 
on  my  stringed  instruments. 

3 


_— 


(     26     ) 

It  is  not  likely  that  the  king  of  Judah  resolves  I 
that,  in  public  worship,  fee  and  his  household  or  court, 
should  sing  nothing,  all  his  days,  except  his  own  and 
their  compositions.  On  another  very  important  oc- 
casion we  find  he  ordered  the  use  of  David's  psalms: 
and  upon  this  occasion  he  could  find  very  suitable 
matter  in  such  psalms  as  the  30th.  Were  our  au- 
thor to  undertake  the  proof  that  Hezekiah  made  his 
harp,  however  improbable  the  fact,  he  would  have 
more  apparent  support.  What  then  is  the  argument? 
Just  this  :  Hezekiah  was  not  indued  with  the  spirit  of 
inspiration  :  but  Hezekiah  resolved  in  worshiping  at 
the  temple,  to  employ  his  instruments  of  music  ; 
therefore,  Hezekiah  introduced  songs  of  his  own 
composition  into  the  public  worship  !  Where  is  the 
middle  term  to  unite  the  extremes  ? 

Tthe  long  suspension  of  the  operations  of  Dickin^ 
ion  College,  seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  unfavour^ 
able  to  the  logical  skill  of  some  reverend  gentlemen. 
Xow  that  they  are  revived,  under  favourable  auspi- 
ces, we  would  gently  hint  to  the  author  of  the  'Hints,' 
the  propriety  of  substituting  for  a  while,  Watts'  lo- 
gic,— though  really  not  very  good, — for  Watts' 
pslams,  and  of  taking  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  sub- 
ject from  the  venerable  principal  of  Dickinson  HalL 
Thus  our  readers  have  the  whole  proof  adduced  and 
alluded  to,  by  these  two  champions,  to  establish  the 
ase  of  uninspired  hymns  under  the  Levitical  econo- 
my. We  shall  come  along  with  them  to  the  Apos* 
tolic  age  and  see  how  they  will  fare  in  it. 

Recourse  is  had,  as  usual,  to  Eph.  5,  19,  and  CoL 
3,  16.  The  argument  from  these  scriptures  former- 
ly was,  to  prove  that  hymns  of  human  composition 
must  be  meant,  because  in  the  Book  of  psalms  there 
were  no  hymns!  This  ground  is  now  abandoned. 
It  appears  there  are  hymns  and  spiritual  songs  in  that 
inspired  Book  ;  but  still  the  Apostle's  command  im- 
plies human  compositions,  and  to  establish  this,  a 
learned  ^appeal  is  made  to  "  the  genius  of  the  Greek 


(     27     ) 

f 

language  !"  Their  argument  from  this  is,  that  when- 
ever the  inspired  psalms  are  referred  to  in  the  New 
Testament,  it  is  in  a  particular  and  definite  manner, 
by  the  employment  of  the  Greek  article  ;  and  when 
such  definite  reference  is  not  made,  inspired  psalms 
are  not  exclusively  meant,  but  psalms  in  general,  in- 
spired and  uninspired.  'Hints,'  p.  41.  Ruf.  p.  31. 
Very  learned  to  be  sure!  If  this  rule  be  of  univeiv 
sal  application  it  has  weight;  if  not,  these  critics  are 
obliged  to  draw  upon  their  profound  "acquaintance 
with  the  genius  and  structure  of  the  Greek  language" 
to  show  the  application  of  the  canon  in  the  given 
case.  Let  us  then  try  this  criticism  upon  a  few  pas- 
sages of  scripture  :  Wherever  the  article  is  used  in 
connection  wTith  the  word,  teos,  God,  "  it  limits  it 
down"  to  the  true  God,  as  distinguished  from  all  that 
are  called  God  ;  but  the  omission  of  the  article  de- 
notes that  the  reference  is  general,  not  specific ;  it 
refers  to  those  called  god  in  general, — thus  Joh.  1,  1, 
Qeos  rjv  o  \oyog — The  word  was  God,  not  the  true  God, 
but  a  god  in  general !  These  men  perhaps  know 
who  reason  so,  and  who  criticise  so.  And  it  is  re- 
ally as  good  in  the  case  of  the  Socinian  as  in  that 
of  the  Presbyterian ;  as  forcible  against  inspired 
psalms  as  against  the  deity  of  Christ,  and  certainly 
no  more  forcible.  Thus  when  Jesus  said,  Joh.  10, 
36,  uios  <r&  6ux  sjjuu  He  did  not  mean  "  I  am  the  son  of 
God  ;"  but  merely  that  he  was  a  Son  in  general ! — 
Dr.  Campbell  and  every  body  else  except  critics, 
think  otherwise.  But  these  are  Greek  scholars ! 
Try  this  profound  critism  again,  on  the  word  render- 
ed law,  and  for  the  purpose  adduce,  Rom.  10.4. 
Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,  &c. 
Whenever  the  article  is  omitted  it  means  not  the  di- 
vine law  exclusively,  but  law  in  general'  The  article 
is  omitted  in  this  place,  it  is  r&Xos  vofxa ;  the  divine 
law,  as  covenant  of  works,  is  not  exclusively  meant ; 
it  is  law  in  general !  Is  it  by  this  omission  of  the 
Greek  article,  that  the  hinter  holds  himself  at  liber 


(     28     ) 

ty  to  disregard  Ezek.  18.  6?  See  '  Hints,'  p.  14, 
and  his  errata.  Try  once  more  on  the  word  which 
is  translated  scripture  y  for  instance,  2d  Tim.  3,  16. 
All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God.  When 
the  article  is  u?ed  it  binds  down  the  meaning,  say 
our  critics,  to  the  sacred  scriptures  exclusively  ;  when 
not  used  it  means  writing  in  general  :  but  in  this 
place  it  is  simply,  waCa  ypa^j  all  scripture,  not  the 
scripture,  therefore  scripture,  or  writing  in  general 
is  intended.  If  this  criticism  hold,  it  will  furnish 
from  this  verse,  the  best  argument  ever  offered  for 
the  equality  of  Watts5  to  the  Bible  psalms,  for  it  will 
prove  them  to  be  equally  inspired,  and  will,  too,  es- 
tablish the  inspiration  of  our  author's  own  'Hints!' 
all  writing  generally,  there  is  no  limitation  here  by 
a  definite  article.  We  really  assure  these  gentleman 
that  this  is  matter  of  fact:  and  as  they  seem  incapa- 
ble of  knowing  this  themselves,  we  refer  them,  not 
to  some  one  deeply  versed  in  "  the  genius  and  struct- 
ure of  the  Greek  language,"  for  such  is  not  always 
easily  found,  but  to  any  boy  who  is  able  to  decline 
a  Greek  noun  ;  and  he  will  inform  them  too,  that  in 
all  the  places  referred  to  by  them,  to  prove  the 
power  of  the  Greek  article  in  binding  and  limit- 
ing to  the  Book  of  psalms,  the  article  is  not  found  at 
all,  except  in  Act.  13,  33.  In  Luke  20,  42,  it  is 
simply,  BiSXcc  4^aXf/.wv,  Book  of  psalms  ;  in  Luke  24, 
44,  it  is  -^aXfAoJs,  in  psalms ;  and  in  Act.  1,  20,  it 
reads  as  in  Luke  20,  42,  just  now  noted.  Then  ac- 
cording to  the  criticism,  these  scriptures  refer  not  to 
the  Bible  psalms,  definitely,  but  to  any  psalms,  any 
books  of  songs,  in  general.  These  men,  it  seems, 
have  by  some  means  heard  of  the  Greek  article,  and 
they  commenced  critics  upon  "  the  genius  and  struct- 
ure" of  that  full  and  elegant  language  !     Truly 

"A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing." 

We  hope  for  the   future,   in  this   discussion,  that 


(     20     ) 

this  criticism,  whether  the  dictate  of  honest  ignor- 
ance or  of  pious  fraud,  will  be  laid  aside  to  sleep 
along  with  some  other  superanuated  arguments  which 
served  their  little  day.  We  have  no  doubt  the  Apos- 
tle in  Eph.  5,  19,  and  in  Col.  3,  16,  intended  the  in* 
spired  psalms,  hymns  and  spiritual  songs  of  the  sa- 
cred volume.  No  sober  man  will  believe  that  the 
spirit  of  God.  after  having  dictated,  supernaturally, 
songs  so  numerous  and  so  various,  as  he  had  done, 
for  the  use  of  the  Church,  on  a  special  direction 
would  speak  so  loosely  on  the  subject  as  these  wri- 
ters suppose;  much  less  would  he  place,  in  a  com- 
mand, his  own  dictates,  the  effusions  of  Horace  or 
Isaac  Watts  upon  the  same  footing  in  Zion's  psalm- 
ody. 

We  are  likewise  persuaded  that  Mr.  M'Master  was 
justifiable  in  adducing  James  5,  13 — (Let  him  sing 
psalms,)  as  referring  to  inspired  psalms.  We  have 
already  noticed  Mr.  R's  criticism  on  this;  and   the 

other  Mr. argues  in    a  similar   manner.      The 

vrordpsalms,  in  the  version,  having  no  correspond- 
ent noun  in  the  original,  is  that  which  gives  occa- 
sion to  so  much  blustering.  The  '  hinter'  admits 
that  "  Philologists  have  deemed  the  term  to  be  equiv- 
alent with  the  phrase  sing  psalms."  And  dare  he 
contradict  this  ?  By  no  means.  In  what  then  does 
the  criticism  terminate  ?  In  smoke.  The  noun  is  in- 
cluded in  the  verb  ;  and  in  a  version  must  be  brought 
into  view.  Thus  it  is  with  the  verb  AXrjdsuw,  Ispeak 
the  truth,  Gal.  4,  16,  and  other  examples ;  there  is  no 
noun  expressed  in  the  original,  but  it  is  certainly  im- 
plied.     Mr. introduces,    1st  Cor.   14,  26,   in 

proof  of  human  composures  being  sung  in  the  days 
of  Paul.  He  admits,  however,  that  those  psalms,  for 
whatever  purpose  introduced,  were  the  fruits  of  an 
extraordinary  gift,  and  consequently  prove  nothing 
for  the  ordinary  hymn  or  poet.  But  we  follow  these 
profound  Greeks  and  accurate  logicians  no  farther.* 
We  are  indisposed  to  come  down  to  notice  the  illib- 
3* 


(     30     } 

eral  and  false  charges,   against  the  moral  and  reli 
gious  character  of  those  communities  who  use  the  scrip- 
ture psalms,  whrch  we  have  seen  brought  forward  by 
the  Carlisle  author.      In  acting  thus  his  conduct  is 
certainly  very  unadvised.     His,  in  this,  is  surely  not 
the  vantage  groand.      But  he  is  secure,  for  it  is  an 
invidious  ground  and  we  will  Hot  tread  it.     We  only 
say,  that  in  the   Secession  and  Reformed  Presbyteri- 
an churches  there  is  no  head  of  a   family,  admitted 
to  their  communion,  who  is  not  known   to  worship 
God  in  his  family  evening  and  morning,   and   none, 
male  or  female,  who  is  known  to  neglect  the  duty  of 
secret  prayer.       Can  this  libeller  say  so  of  all  those 
with  whom  he  breaks  the  sacramental  bread  ?  This, 
it  is  believed,  is  true  in  a  great  measure,  if  not  with- 
out exception,  of  that  portion  of  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church  which  refuses  to  sing  the  psalms  of 
Dr.  Watts.      The  Reformed  Presbyterians   have  in 
all  their  congregations,  settled  and  unsettled,  socie- 
ties regularly  organized,  under  Synodical  authority, 
for  private   prayer,   praise   and  religions    improve- 
ment, upon  which  their  members  statedly  attend. — 
Occasional  irregularities  will  appear  among  the  saints 
while  on  earth  ;  but  axe  they  approved  of?     Is  cor- 
rective disipline  neglected    when  scandals   appear? 
When  our  friends  of  the  General  Assembly,  become 
more  immaculate  let  them  cast  these  stones*     As  to. 
the  Episcopal  church,  we  would  be  sorry  that  a  min- 
ister belonging  to  her,   held  principles  so  profligate 
as  those  of  the  Carlisle  'hinter.5     We  regret  exceed- 
ingly that  such  a  man  has  a  place  in  the  Presbyteri- 
an community*      His  avowals  wrould  dishonour  de- 
ism itself. 

In  parting  from  these  books  which  have  led  us  in- 
to this  long  discussion,  we  wish  to  tell  our  readers 
the  reason  why  we  have  purposely  kept  so  much 
aloof  from  tlie  main  question  :  We  wished  uot  to  in- 
terfere with  the  circulation  of  the  "Apology  for  the 
Book  of  psa^jts/'  against  which   these  writers   se : 


(  si  ; 

themselves,  believing  that  the  argument  of  that  vol 
ume  remains  in  all  its  strength.  We  have  noticed 
such  things  as  might  likely  affect  some  honest  minds, 
who  have  little  opportunity  of  deeper  enquiry.  We 
wish  it,  however,  to  be  distinctly  understood,  that  it 
is  not  the  worth  of  these  pamphlets  of  Mr.  R.  and 
his  friend,  that  could  induce  us  to  write  a  page.— 
We  have  higher  aims.  The  cause  is  worth  much, 
and  with  these  writers  are  allied,  ecclesiastically, 
men  of  greater  worth.  Men  whom  we  love  ;  whose 
character,  learning,  principles,  and  devotion  we  hon- 
our, and  with  whom,,  if  separated  from  such  worth- 
less Ecclesiastical  associates  as  the  author  of  the 
1  Hints'  from  Carlisle,  we  could  take  the  sweetest 
counsel  and  hold  the  most  intimate  fellowship  in 
the  house  of  God.  We  had  in  our  eye  the  fraternal 
and  affectionate  warning  of  these  excellent  men, 
when  we  condescended  to  notice  these  productions  mr 
productions  as  remarkable  for  the  absence  of  every 
trace  of  kindness  of  heart,  as  they  are  for  the  desti- 
tution of  intellect,  learning  or  Bible  knowledge. 

In  passing,  we  have  a  word  to  brother  Ely  of  Phil- 
adelphia. We  are  sincerely  sorry  that  he  attended 
so  little  to  a  friendly  admonition,  once  tendered  himr 
to  leave  the  defence  of  Watts'  psalms  to  worse  men, 
men  who  have  less  to  loose  than  he,  and  who,  we 
perceive,  are  ready  to  take  it  up.  He  has,  however^, 
come  down  to  recommend,  under  his  own  signature^ 
one  of  the  productions  which  have  now  passed  be- 
fore us  in  review.  On  this  he  and  we  shall  have  no 
dispute.  Fallimur  et  quondam  nondignum  tradi- 
mus.  We  merely  advert  to  his  remarks,  that  we 
may  honour,  as  it  deserves,  his  candour  in  giving  in* 
timation,  that  attachment  tp  "  any  line  of  crowned 
heads  in  England  or  Scotland,"  is  a  reason  of  our 
refusal  to  unite  w.ith  him  and  his  brethren  of  the 
General  Assembly.  The  remark  can  apply  only  to 
Seccders  and  Reformed  Presbyterians.  The  most 
prominent   opposers  of  such  a  union,  on  the  part  of 


(     ®     ) 

Seceders,  is  Dr.  Anderson  ;  and  we  can  assure  Dr. 
E.  -hat  this  venerable  divine  is  in  principle  an  A- 
merican  Republican,  and  we  believe  a  firm,  uniform, 
and  temperate  adherent  of  the  Jefferson  school.  Re- 
formed Presbyterians,  we  can  likewise  certify  broth- 
er E.  are  American  in  their  principles  and  feelings. 
The  majority  of  them  are  Americans  by  birth,  and 
whether  of  native  or  foreign  birth,  they  yield  not  in 
love  of  country  to  the  most  devoted  of  Columbia's 
sons.  They  have  proved  this,  and  they  will  always 
prove  it,  when  foreign  invasion  or  domestic  faction 
make  the  country  need  their  pen,  their  sword,  their 
purse  and  their  prayers.  When  the  battle  is  over, 
and  peace  and  plenty  bless  the  land,  in  retiring  from 
the  squable  for  office  and  emolument,  they  may  be 
indulged  in  seeking  the  commonweal  in  the  quiet 
pursuits  of  civil  life,  without  reproach  from  a  catho- 
lic brother.  Reformed  Presbyterians  of  all  coun- 
tries know  of  no  kings,  of  no  line  of  kings,  in  Scot- 
land or  England,  who  have  not  been  for  ages  past, 
and  who  still  are,  in  alliance  with  the  Beast,  deriving 
th^ir  power  from  the  devil,  and  exercising  that  pow- 
er according  to  its  origin,  in  making  war  with  the 
Lame,  in  opposing  the  rights  of  God  and  of  man. — 
Reformed  Presbyterians  cannot  attach  themselves 
to  any  power  that  refuses  the  demanded  submission 
to  the  Son  of  God ;  and  while  we  thus  assure  Dr. 
E.,  for  we  suppose  every  one  else  knows  it,  that  we 
needed  not  his  admonition  en  this  point,  we  dxdy 
appreciate  the  principle  and  spirit,  which  would  at- 
tempt to  unite  political  odium,  with  that  Ecclesias- 
tical Catholicism,  which  can  endure  nothing  but  it- 
self, to  frown  to  their  duty  his  erring  brethren  ! — 
But  on  this  subject  of  difference  the  Dr.  informs 
us  he  will  follow  us  no  more  "  with  a  canine 
scent  or  temper."  We  always  give  our  brother  cre- 
dit lor  good  intentions,  as  well  as  for  many  good 
deeds;  we  rejoice  to  hear  from  himself  this  resolu- 
tion of  progressive  reform,    and  we    sincerely  hope 


(     33     ) 

he  will,  in  time  to  come,  keep  this  resolve  of  absti- 
nence from  all  imitation  of  the  tenants  of  the  ken- 
nel. Humanity,  however,  is  frail ;  and  therefore  to 
promote  his  vigilance,  we  kindly  call  to  his  recollec- 
tion that  saying  of  the  Roman  poet,  familiar  to  him 
and  to  us  in  our  boyish  days  : 

Naturam  expellas  furca,  tamen  usque  recur  ret. 

In  closing  our  reviews  of  these  works,  and  the  sub- 
jects incidentally  connected  with  them,  we  confess 
the  task  has  not  been  congenial,  in  all  its  parts,  with 
the  predominant  feelings  of  our  heart.  We  likewise 
acknowledge  that,  though  we  tried,  we  could  not  be 
always  serious  amidst  so  much  pretension,  nonsense 
and  lolly.  Upon  our  mind,  and  we  doubt  not  upon 
our  visible  muscles  too,  there  were,  sometimes,  in- 
dications very  remote  from  profound  respect,  for  the 
gentleman  who-  appeared  on  the  pages  before  us. 
The  '  last,'  however,  demands  seriousness.  For 
other  reasons  than  the  '  reflection  that  a  part  of  the 
days  allotted  us  is  past,  and  that  as  more  is  past  there 
is  less  remaining.'"*  We  are  serious  now.  The 
distractions,  the  discordant  voices  of  Zion'ssons,  her 
extended  desolations,  the  slumber  of  her  watchmen, 
and  their  insensibilitv  to  her  real  condition,  com- 
mand  melancholy  forebodings,  mitigated  only  by  the 
assurance  that  God  reigneth.  The  simple  question, 
whether  a  hymn  of  human  composition  may  be  sung, 
occupies  a  minor  place  among  those  ebullitions  of 
febrile  delirium  which  we  have  been  compelled  to 
notice.  It  is  painful,  too,  to  witness  those  excite- 
ments of  error  and  extravagance,  which  are  so  often 
hailejd  as  the  signals  of  spiritual  health,  wThile  they 
are,  in  reality,  no  more  than  the  hectic  blush  of  deep 
seated  disease,  preying  upon  the  vitals  of  the  church. 
Such  must  be  the  case  while  men  of  corrupt  princi- 

*Johuson. 


(     3*     ) 

pics  preside  in  the  ministrations  of  the  sanctuary, 
and  the  words  of  man  are  preferred  to  the  words  of 
God.  That  Zion's  dearest  interests  should  be  man- 
aged thus,  forces  upon  the  heart  the  serious  thought- 
fulness  of  unfeigned  sorrow. 

The  subject  of  psalmody  elicits  the  existence  of 
principles,  which  we  fondly  hoped  had  passed  away 
with  more  unhappy  times.  We  were  mistaken. — 
We  begin  to  fear  our  estimate  of  the  moral  march  of 
man  has  been  too  sanguine.  In  our  sister  church, 
of  the  General  Assembly,  who  could  have  believed- 
that  in  the  19th  century,  the  era  of  Bibles,  such 
dreadful  views  of  the  church  of  God,  as  we  find  in 
these  writers  upon  psalmody,  would  have  found  a 
place  ?  WTho  could  have  supposed  that  any  of  her 
consecrated  sons,  would  have  dared  to  charge  the 
most  devotional  Book  of  inspiration  with  breathing 
a  spirit  of  extirpation,  havoc  and  revenge  ;  influen- 
cing those  who  habitually  use  it,  in  their  devotion, 
with  those  black  passions  ,«o  intimately  allied  to  hell  V 
That  the  "  Io  Bacche,  Io  Bacche  !"  of  infuriated  vo- 
taries of  the  heaihen  god  of  drunkenness  and  of  rev- 
el, should  be  set  nearly  on  a  par  with  the  solemn  and 
soul-sanctifying  anthems  of  the  Book  of  God  !  That 
purity  of  life  and  abstinence  from  idolatry,  that  jus- 
tice and  mercy  "  are  not  now  required  nor  can  they 
be  acquired  !"  ("  Hints,"  p.  p.  11,  12,  13,  14,  Er- 
rata.) That  Jesus  Christ  might  be  found  as  easily  in 
the  heathen  god  Apollo,  and  spiritual  joy  in  the  pro- 
fane libations  offered  to  that  idol,  as  described  in 
heathen  song,  as  the  Saviour  and  spiritual  instruc- 
tion in  those  sacred  hymns  of  inspiration,  that.men- 
tion  the  holy  institutes  of  the  church  in  ancient  times!* 

•  ^m    i        im  '  ■■»        ■■  i  ■     ■■!■■■■■■ 

*Mr.  M'M.  had  stated  that  "the  ancient  use  of  instrumental 
music  in  the  worship  of  God  instructs  us  that  in  celebrating  the 
praises  of  God,  we  should  call  forth  the  voice  of  melody,  as  ex- 
cressive  of  affections  well  attuned  to  the  delightful  exercise.' 
Mr.  Ruffner,  upon  quoting  this,  expresses  himself  thus:  In  his 
scheme  of  construing  them,  (the  psalms,)  it  really  makes  no  dif- 
ference what  the  words  are,  or  what  they  properly  signify — he 


(     35     ) 

We  lament  that  a  language  which  becomes  the 
enemies  of  the  faith  of  God's  elect  alone,  finds  cur- 
rency among  the  professors  of  that  faith;  we  lament 
the  effect  which  it  must  have  upon  the  minds  of  those 
who  look  up  to  these  men  as  ministers  of  God,  and 
the  deadly  power  which  the  sentiments,  couched  un- 
der it,  must  have  upon  their  own  hearts  who  have  ut- 
tered it.  Unallowed  faults,  hasty  expressions,  have 
claims  to  forbearance ;  but  the  unilorm  language  of 
impiety,  the  profligacy  of  tke  profligate  avowed,  has 
no  such  claims.  We  allude  in  this  remark  chiefly 
to  the  author  of  the  Carlisle  pamphlet.  Mr.  Ruff- 
ner,  though  very  exceptionable,  is  more  reserved 
and  decent,  As  a  reasonor  and  theologian,  his  plea 
is  low  enough,  but  he  makes  no  assault,  directly,  up- 
on morals,  and  while  we  believe  the  general  tenden- 
cy of  his  book  is  to  diminish  the  reverence  of  the 
heart  for  the  book  of  God,  we  are  glad  to  say,  he  is 
generally  exempt  from  that  offensive  form  of  profan- 
ity, which  abounds  in  the  pages  of  the  ether  writer. 
While  we  offer  to  God  a  prayer  for  mercy  to  both? 
ind  for  compassion  to  their  unhappy  flocks,  we  try 
-:o  think  both  authors 

c  Less  impious  than  absurd,  and  owing  more 
To  want  of  judgment  than  of  wrong  design.' 

Cowperi 

in  leaving  these  we  turn  to  men  of  better  name, 
of  better  head  and  heart.  We  look  to  those  vener- 
able and  venerated  names,  who  know  and  who  love 
the  word  and  truth  of  God  ;  who  have  not  only  a 
place  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  but  are  high,  and 
justly  high,  in  her  courts,  her  schools  and  her  coun- 

can  make  them  suit  any  thing  to  suit  his  purpose.  Dr.  Watts 
thought  the  moral  odes  of  Horace  might  be  altered,  so  as  to 
make  good  spiritual  songs ;  but  Mr.  M 'Master  might  very  well 
sing  them  as  they  are ;  he  could  easily  understand  Apollo  to 
mean  Christ,  and  wine  to  be  spiritual  joy."  Runner,  page  37, 
Is  this  not  saying  that  Christ  and  the  grace  of  his  Spirit  are  as 
easily  found  in  the  edas  of  Horace  as  in  the  psalms  of  Scrip- 
ture I    fo  the  man  who  speaks  thus  a  Christian  or  an  infide 


(  So  ) 

ciib.  We  look  to  them  to  silence  forever  that  un- 
hallowed style  in  which  this  precious  portion  of  in- 
spiration has  been  spoken  of.  We  hope  to  hear 
them  call  forth  an  emphatic  voice  from  the  highest 
judicatory  of  their  church,  making  it  to  be  under- 
stood, that  every  portion  of  the  Book  of  God  must  be 
received  with  reverence  ;  that  a  literal  version  of 
the  Book  of  psalms  is  authorised  by  her,  in  all  its 
parts,  in  her  psalmody,  to  be  used  by  her  chiliken; 
that  many  of  them  do  so  use  it;  and  that  it  must  be 
treated  with  respect;  that  the  spirit  of  the  Book  of 
psalms  is  accordant  with  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God;  that  it  exhibits  the  principles  and  spirit  of  the 
moral  government  of  God  ;  and  that  every  one  who 
;oves  those  principles  and  that  spirit,  will  love  the 
Book  of  psalms;  that  he  is  not  a  Christian  (I  ex- 
press the  sentiment  of  one  of  her  most  distinguished 
members,)  who  does  not  possess  the  same  spirit 
these  psalms  (which  denounce  vengeance  against 
the  enemies  of  Jesus,)  express.  So  far  is  it  from  be- 
ing opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  that  we  are 
willing  to  give  them  their  broadest  meaning,  despis- 
ing  the  shrinking  interpretation  of  those  who  would 
make  them  mere  predictions.  If  they  are  fit  for  God 
to  utter  and  to  execute,  they  are  fit  for  man  to  use  in 
prayer,  and  in  view  of  their -execution,  or  when  ex- 
ecuted, to  sing  in  praise.  If  any  wan  love  not  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  accursed.  Let  annun- 
ciations similar  to  these  be  heard,  and  the  effect  will  be 
powerful  and  happy. ^ 

*  Of '  The  design  and  use  of  the  Bock  of  psalms,'  by  Mr.  Gor- 
don, we  are  unable  to  speak   particularly,  not  having  had  the' 
pleasure  of  a  perusal  of  it.      From  what  we  can  gather  among 
the  remarks  of  Mr.  Ruffner,  we  are  disposed  to  think  well  of 
the  production.     Several  important  positions  of  Mr.  Gordon, 
we  perceive^  the  writer  is  unwilling  to  encounter.      The  same 
want  of  candour,  in  remarking  upon  this,  is  obvious  that  char- 
acterizes the  "Strictures"  on  the  4  Apology  :'  thus  he  represents 
the  question  of  the  continued  use  of  a  Book  of  inspired  psalms, 
the  same  as  one  respecting  the  continued  and  stated.use  of  a 
Book  of  inspired  prayers  ;  as  though  such  a  Book  had  ever  e- 
lsted. 


